Top 10 Brits Who Always Play The Same Character

If faced with gangsters, orcs or aliens, most of us would probably panic and run for the hills. And that's why Martin Freeman is cast; because he's relatable. Renowned for his socially-awkward demeanor, perfected in “The Office”, he frequently plays the conservative everyman with a strict day-to-day routine, who has greatness, adventure or a challenging task thrust upon him. There’s “The Hobbit”, “The Hitchhiker’s guide to the Galaxy”, “Nativity” and even his big TV roles like “Sherlock” and “Fargo”. This guy makes being a square, look cool.

“Schindler's List”, Nolan’s Batman series, “Star Wars” - Neeson’s done a bit of everything. But, with advancing years, he has taken on various roles that see him play on his age, as he steps into the shoes of seasoned hitmen, ex-government agents, weapon specialists and former police officers to overcome near-impossible odds. And it totally suits him, with his trademark blank stare serving as a death sentence when looking down the barrel of a gun. Word of advice, if Neeson calls you, don’t answer.

Regardless of what era she’s is, Knightley’s roles frequently see her perform as royalty or as a part of upper-class society. From a Governor’s daughter to a Russian Princess, a duchess or Jane Austen’s beloved Elizabeth Bennet, she’s a master of posh etiquette and style. And even when she isn’t playing someone who’s well off, she always comes across like she should be. But regardless of her silver spoon characters, off-camera she's known as one of the coolest, most down to earth celebs around.

As a Godfather of the British gangster movie, to say Caine’s a typecast hoodlum, is a bit of a given. However, in a similar way to Neeson, Caine has embraced his increasing age by taking on a variety of ‘wise old man’ roles - particularly in Christopher Nolan’s films. There’s Alfred in “Batman”, Jon Cutter in “The Prestige”, NASA boffin John Brand in “Interstellar” and Professor Stephen Miles in “Inception”. He speaks, you listen, simple as. Although, he is willing to go back to his roots from time-to-time.

Nobody quite plays the villain like this guy did. With Lee, it wasn't necessarily about over-the-top dramatics, or even sophisticated dialogue - he could send shivers down your spine with a mere look, and not many people can do that. From Hammer Horror hits like “Dracula” to big-bearded baddies like Saruman in “Lord of the Rings”, he was cast in villainous roles way into his later years, because he was bloody good at it. The guy even played a convincing lightsaber-wielding Sith apprentice when he was 80 years old.

We all know the score - Sean Bean dies in everything. It even triggered the hashtag #DontKillSeanBean a while back. But he’s not just made it onto this list for dying. He usually plays similar roles before he snuffs it - and they reach to either end of the spectrum. Mainly, he’s either a bad guy who gets his comeuppance, or he’s a good guy who ends up sacrificing himself, or becoming a martyr for the greater good. So basically, he’s either a douche or a hero.

The word ‘gentleman’ comes to mind here - or maybe ‘toff’ - either way, Firth plays it well (and usually with uncanny similarity). It seems that whatever the role, be it a writer, professor or banker, Firth manages to exhibit his unique brand of sophisticated charm and social awkwardness. And he’s almost always one of the main love interests, sometimes serving as a stark comparison to someone slightly less, should we say, ‘high-brow’. Even his version of a dangerous super spy has uncouth elegance, I mean look, he’s got an umbrella!

Although his early acting roles painted him as a bit of a ‘geezer’, it didn’t take long for Statham to become an action hero, with most of his films in the noughties seeing him play either an expert martial artist or just a plain badass - performing his own stunts along the way. Of course, it helps that Statham can handle himself in real life, studying martial arts from a young age. If you see him on a movie poster, chances are he’s going “against the odds” with a gun in his hand.

You can’t talk about Helena Bonham Carter without mentioning the weird world of Tim Burton - and all of the zany characters that go with it. Carter has played plenty of Burton’s characters, from the beach ball-headed Red Queen to the demon barber’s accomplice Mrs. Lovett, and she always manages to do it with spades of wackiness and a unique peculiarity. If she’s not playing a crazy creation of Burton's, she's likely looking for equally eccentric roles elsewhere".

Ever watched a film with Hugh Grant in it and questioned whether you’ve seen it before? That’s probably because Grant plays almost the exact same role in every one of his films. Becoming almost a staple in any British rom-com, at least in the noughties, he’s known for his charisma, mumbling and awkward arm-flailing in equal measure - and, of course, for being a major love interest. If you want a guy who's effortlessly charming, affably useless and infinitely likeable, call Grant.